Domestic Visits: Costs

Greg Hands: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what the cost to the public purse of the hotel accommodation for  (a) the Prime Minister and  (b) his special advisers was during visits around the UK between 7 and 9 January 2009;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the three day tour he undertook between 7 and 9 January 2009.

Gordon Brown: The information requested is not yet available. All travel is undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.

Domestic Visits: Costs

Greg Hands: To ask the Prime Minister whether entry fees were charged for events held during his UK tour between 7 and 9 January 2009.

Gordon Brown: No entry fees were charged for any official events.

Specialist Schools and Academies Trust

Theresa May: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make publicly available a full transcript of his speech to the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust on 24 June 2008.

Gordon Brown: A transcript of my speech is available on the No. 10 website:
	http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page16129

Departmental Pay

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will make it his policy to ensure that those temporary and permanent employees at the same grade in his Department who are paid at an hourly rate are paid at the same rate.

Mike O'Brien: The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), which was formed on 3 October 2008, will consist of posts transferred from the existing Departments for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (DEFRA). The detail is still being worked on, but staff will come to DECC from Energy Group in BERR and Climate Change Group in DEFRA. All DECC staff, including those in the corporate centre, are currently on either the BERR or DEFRA terms and conditions. Given that, I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 13 January 2009,  Official Report, column reference 594W and by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Employment Relations and Postal Affairs, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform on 14 January 2009,  Official Report, column 757W.

Government Car and Despatch Agency

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many instances of misuse of government procurement cards within the Government Car and Despatch Agency have been recorded since 1 January 2006; what the amount involved in each such instance was; and which disciplinary measures have been applied as a result of such instances.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government Procurement Card (GPC) was introduced into the Government Car and Despatch Agency on 1 April 2006. Since that time the following incidents of misuse of the GPC have been recorded:
	
		
			  Number of incidents  Value  Action taken 
			 13 Less than £10 Monies recovered and warning letters issued 
			 5 £10 to £20 Monies recovered and warning letters issued 
			 2 £20 to £50 Monies recovered and warning letters issued 
			 1 £20 to £50 Charged with Gross Misconduct, monies recovered 
			 1 £50 to £100 Monies recovered and warning letters issued 
			 2 More than £100 Monies recovered and warning letters issued 
			 1 More than £100 Charged with Gross Misconduct, monies recovered

Railways

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the average level of peak hour overcrowding on trains into the cities of  (a) London,  (b) Manchester,  (c) Leeds,  (d) Sheffield,  (e) Liverpool,  (f) Birmingham,  (g) Glasgow,  (h) Bristol,  (i) Cardiff and  (j) Nottingham in each of the last five years.

Paul Clark: Data is only collected and routinely provided to the Department for Transport by train operators serving the London and South East commuter market. Crowding data has not been consistently collected for the other cities mentioned for the period sought and is not available.
	The information requested for train operators serving the London and South East commuter market is currently published annually in aggregated form by the Office for Rail Regulation within its "National Rail Trends Yearbook" and is available on the Office of Rail Regulation website at:
	www.rail-reg.gov.uk.
	The latest published data relates to passenger counts carried out by train operators in autumn 2007.

Railways: Adlington

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what reasons Network Rail have provided to his Department for re-routing more trains from Adlington to Manchester Victoria as opposed to Manchester Piccadilly under the new timetable introduced on 13 December 2008.

Paul Clark: The Department for Transport in conjunction with Northern Rail, worked through timetable solutions with Network rail, to accommodate the enhanced West Coast timetable. Moving trains to Manchester Victoria was as a result of extra capacity at this station, becoming available. This is seen as an overall improvement which has led to an increase of 45 per cent. in additional capacity on long distance services.

Railways: Finance

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the answer of 24 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1097W, what the reasons are for the differential treatment of light rail and non-light rail local transport schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: The reason for the difference in local contribution requirements is due to the scale, complexity and cost of light rail projects and the importance of ensuring commitment from promoters.

Children: Maintenance

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the  (a) mean and  (b) median number of days was for child maintenance to be sent to parents with care after the non-resident parent had made payment in (i) the most recent period for which figures are available and (ii) over the last three years.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 18 December 2008
	 The administration of the child maintenance system is a matter for the Commissioner of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the (a) mean and (b) median number of days was for child maintenance to be sent to parents with care after the non-resident parent had made payment in (i) the most recent period for which figures are available and (ii) all such periods over the last three years.
	The information requested is provided in the attached table, which sets out the time between a receipt arriving in the Agency's bank account and the Agency forwarding payment to the parent with care for all cases held on the current computer system (CS2). The table shows at September 2008, the mean and median number of days it has taken for receipts received between September 2006 and September 2009 to be paid out by the Agency to the parent with care. This represents 70% of the Agency caseload. Management information is not available for the 30% of cases held on the old computer system (CSCS).
	The table also shows improvements made since the introduction of the Agency's Operational Improvement Plan in 2006, on the length of time it takes the Agency to allocate maintenance, which includes the minority of payments where there has been significant delay.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.
	
		
			  The mean and median number of days for child maintenance to be forwarded to the parents with care after the non-resident parent made payment, from September 2006-09 
			  Receipt received  Mean days  Median days 
			 September 2006 13.2 2 
			 October 2006 12.0 2 
			 November 2006 11.9 2 
			 December 2006 11.5 2 
			 January 2007 9.9 2 
			 February 2007 9.7 2 
			 March 2007 9.2 2 
			 April 2007 9.3 2 
			 May 2007 8.5 2 
			 June 2007 7.5 2 
			 July 2007 7.4 2 
			 August 2007 7.3 2 
			 September 2007 7.4 2 
			 October 2007 6.9 2 
			 November 2007 5.8 2 
			 December 2007 5.3 2 
			 January 2008 4.7 2 
			 February 2008 4.3 2 
			 March 2008 4.4 2 
			 April 2008 3.9 2 
			 May 2008 4.1 2 
			 June 2008 3.5 2 
			 July 2008 3.4 2 
			 August 2008 2.9 2 
			 September 2008 2.2 1 
			  Notes: 1. Only includes receipts and payments for cases held on the current computer system (CS2) and represents 70 per cent. of the Agency caseload. Management information is not available for the 30 per cent. of cases held on the old computer system (CSCS). 2. Information provided calculates time between receipt arriving in Agency's bank account and the Agency forwarding payment to the parent with care. 3. Mean—the average number of days taken, which will take into account all payments, including the minority of payments where there has been a significant delay, and as such can be significantly altered by a few extreme cases. Median—the middle figure in a series.

Social Fund: Lancashire

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average time was for decisions to be taken on crisis loan applications in Lancashire in each month of 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: The information requested is not available.
	Crisis loan applications for Lancashire are processed at Chorlton benefit delivery centre. However Chorlton benefit delivery centre does not only process applications from Lancashire.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Targeting Benefit Thieves section of his Department's website costs to run each year; and what the initial implementation cost of this section of the website was.

Jonathan R Shaw: There are no separately quantifiable set-up or running costs for the Targeting Benefit Thieves section of his Department's website.
	Maintenance of DWP websites is mostly carried out by the Department's own in-house digital media team. It is not possible for us to quantify internal staff costs, because in most cases, staff are engaged in more than one role. In addition, we are unable to establish accurately our infrastructure costs because they form part of a wider departmental IT contract.
	DWP is currently working with the COI to develop a standardised method for quantifying website costs across Government. We will be implementing this standard from March 2009 in line with the current timetable.

Social Security Benefits: Overseas Residence

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2008,  Official Report, columns 419-20W, on social security benefits: overseas residence, what the outcomes of his Department's consideration of the implications of the European Court's decision are for UK citizens who live in another EEA state area or in Switzerland and who wish to claim a disability benefit; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: We expect to set out entitlement conditions for those wishing to claim from abroad shortly. The Directgov website will be updated at that time. The site can be found at:
	www.direct.gov.uk

Social Security Benefits: Overseas Residence

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2008,  Official Report, column 420W, on social security benefits: overseas residence, how many of the 1,700 requests for payment of  (a) disability living allowance (care component),  (b) attendance allowance and  (c) carers' allowance made by people who previously lived in the UK and are now living in another EEA state or Switzerland have been granted; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 15 January 2009,  Official Report, column 982W.

Working Conditions: Temperature

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he plans to issue guidelines to employers on reducing exposure of employees to high temperatures in the workplace.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 15 January 2009
	Guidance is already available to employers in 'Heat stress in the workplace: what you need to know as an employer' and in detailed supporting information which is on the Health and Safety Executive website.

Electronic Equipment

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with reference to the answer of 12 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1211W, on electronic equipment, for what reasons electronic equipment with a value of more than £1,000 is classed as capital expenditure.

Paul Goggins: Electronic equipment with a value of more than £1,000 is classed as capital expenditure in line with the departmental accounting policy which sets the threshold for capitalising items at £1,000.

Departmental Written Questions

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions in the last 12 months Ministers in his Department have used their discretion to rule that a parliamentary question for written answer should be answered because it would be in the public interest to do so, even though to do so would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold of £700.

Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office has not answered any written questions where the cost of preparing the answer would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold as the Minister did not believe it to be in the public interest to answer such questions irrespective of cost.

Dementia: Care Homes

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) care homes and  (b) care home places for people suffering from dementia there were in each local authority area in Kent in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: We are informed by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that it does not register care homes according to the number of people from a specific client group, such as those suffering dementia. CSCI will register a home as being able to care for at least one person from a particular client group. CSCI is able to produce data from 2004 when it was first established. Information from earlier years is not available centrally.
	The following table shows the numbers of care homes and registered places in Kent county council. Data for other areas within Kent is not available separately.
	
		
			  Care homes and places in Kent 
			   As at 31 March: 
			   2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			   Homes  Places  Homes  Places  Homes  Places  Homes  Places  Homes  Places 
			 All homes 792 15,907 774 15,763 759 15,642 748 15,485 746 15,673 
			 Homes registered to care for people with dementia(1) 122 4,554 125 4,699 127 4,860 131 5,050 134 5,218 
			 (1) Homes do not register the actual number of places they have for each client group. They indicate which groups they can provide at least one place for. The number of registered places shown is the sum of all places in the care home that indicated they provide care for at least one person with dementia.  Source: CSCI database as at 2 May 2008

Mental Health Services: Prisoners

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Caernarfon of 30 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1245W, how many of the 926 prisoners with mental illness who were transferred from prison to hospital in 2007  (a) remain in hospital,  (b) were returned to prison and  (c) absconded.

Phil Hope: This information is not collected by the Department. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) have supplied information in respect of individual patients with mental illness transferred from the prison service to hospital.
	Further to the answer to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Hywel Williams) of 30 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1245W, the MoJ have revised their data and report that the number of prisoners with mental illness and who were transferred to hospital in 2007 was 934, not 926.
	Of these 934 patients, 301 remain in hospital, 167 were returned to prison and one patient absconded and is still at large. Of the remaining 465 individuals, 219 were remitted to a court to deal with as unsentenced prisoners who were awaiting a court appearance when transferred to hospital. A further 242 were either not subject to restrictions at the time of transfer, or saw their restrictions expire after transfer, and would have remained in hospital only so long as their mental condition required it. Of the remaining four individuals, one has been deported and three have died.
	These figures include six people who absconded at some point during their stay in hospital and later returned.

Musculoskeletal Disorders: Carers

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to train those carers caring for people with musculoskeletal conditions through  (a) the Caring with Confidence programme and  (b) other means.

Phil Hope: At a national level the training provided by Caring with Confidence is in two forms—generic and 'tailored'. The generic training is relevant to any carer (i.e. including those caring with a musculoskeletal condition) and has been available since August 2008, the 'tailored' training will meet the needs of specific carers i.e. those who are caring for someone with dementia, or caring for someone of black or minority ethnic background, and will become available over the coming months.
	The determination of the carer groups to be provided 'tailored' training was made following consultation with the national carers' charities and providers of training to carers—those with musculoskeletal problems were not identified in this process. Should the need for 'tailored' training for carers of those with musculoskeletal conditions emerge there is flexibility to meet this need within Caring with Confidence's delivery arrangements.
	Carers can also access NHS Choices, which has much information on musculoskeletal conditions.
	At a local level, it is for local health service providers to ensure that people with musculoskeletal conditions and their carers receive the necessary information and support they require.

NHS: Pensions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the answer of 1 September 2008,  Official Report, column 1751W, on the NHS Pensions Agency: resource accounting and benefits, for what reason the NHS pension scheme resource accounts were not published between the 2008 summer recess and the end of the 2007-08 Session; and when he plans to publish them.

Ann Keen: In his written ministerial statement of 16 December 2008, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster referred to overpayments made to pensioners of public sector pension schemes, including the NHS pension scheme.
	The NHS pension scheme accounts contain reference to these overpayments. The decision was taken not to publish the accounts until such time as we had sufficient information to be able to inform the pensioners. Critical to this decision was the need to avoid unnecessary public concern among the vast majority of national health service pensioners who were entirely unaffected, but who would not have known that had a general announcement been made. Letters were sent to affected pensioners on 15 December and the statement, formally notifying Parliament of the overpayments, was made on 16 December.
	The accounts will be now be laid before the statutory deadline of 31 January 2009.

NHS: Temporary Employment

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many agency staff each NHS trust has used in each of the last 10 years; and at what cost in each such year.

Ann Keen: The number of agency staff used by each national health service trust is not collected centrally.
	A table which shows agency spend for each NHS trust for 2001-02 to 2007-08 has been placed in the Library. Data is not available prior to 2001-02.

Out-patients

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many outpatient appointments were missed  (a) in England and  (b) in each NHS trust in each year since 1997-98.

Ben Bradshaw: The data requested has been placed in the Library.

Prescriptions

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department provides to healthcare professionals on preventing, prescribing and dispensing errors in relation to immunosuppressant therapies.  [Official Report, 10 March 2009, Vol. 489, c. 1MC.]

Ann Keen: The National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) reviews medication errors on an ongoing basis, and prioritises the production of guidance and recommendations based on the level of harm reported to its Reporting and Learning System (RLS), other national and international reporting systems and published literature.
	The Agency has also produced a series of design guides in the 'Design for Patient Safety' series, which aim to improve the labelling, and packaging of pharmaceutical products. A copy has been placed in the Library. These have been issued to pharmaceutical companies to assist them produce products that minimise the risk of miss-selection and other patient safety incidents. These materials are also used by national health service (NHS) medicines procurement groups to purchase products which are safer in use. A design guide on The Dispensing Environment which identifies ways that good design of the dispensing environment can help improve the accuracy of the dispensing process has also been produced by the NPSA.
	The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has, as part of an European Union-wide action on two specific immunosuppressant therapies, agreed to send a 'dear Doctor/Healthcare Practitioner letter' to the relevant NHS staff, and made proposals for changes to the packaging for Advagraf to emphasise that it differs from Prograf. In addition, MHRA included the issue in their December edition of the Drug Safety Update, with a further article in the January 2009 edition. These should help to make prescribers, pharmacists, and patients aware of the brand being prescribed, whatever the manufacturer, and the associated dose regimen. MHRA has also highlighted the issue to other information providers, including the British National Formulary and the National Prescribing Centre.

Members: Correspondence

Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letter of 25 November 2008 from the hon. Member for Christchurch on behalf of Mr Richard Bell.

Ian Pearson: Due to the large volume of correspondence received on these issues there has been a delay in sending some responses. The Financial Services Secretary hopes to be in a position to reply to the hon. Member shortly.

Crime Prevention

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what pilot projects to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour have been launched by her Department since 1 January 2006.

Alan Campbell: Trialling or piloting systems and processes, or their component parts, is normal practice throughout the lifecycle of projects large and small. Full records of all pilot projects since 1 January 2006 are not held centrally and could be collated only at disproportionate cost.

Crime: Statistics

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the Answer of 1 September 2008,  Official Report, column 1538W, on crime: statistics, how many  (a) offences of soliciting for the purposes of prostitution,  (b) incidents of prostitution-related activity and  (c) incidents of youth-related anti-social behaviour were recorded by each police force in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: The available information is given in the following tables. Table 1 gives the number of recorded offences of soliciting for the purposes of prostitution for 2003-04 to 2007-08. Table 2 gives the number of incidents of prostitution related activity. This data has been provided by the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) and is only available for 2007-08. Data in table 3 relates to incidents of antisocial behaviour (ASB). This information has again been provided by NPIA and is only available for 2007-08.
	The response given on 1 September 2008 stated that data on the number of 'youth-related ASB' is being collected. NPIA have informed officials that this data is not currently collected centrally.
	
		
			  Table 1: Recorded offences of soliciting for the purposes of prostitution 
			  Number of offences 
			  Police force area  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Avon and Somerset 28 50 52 98 80 
			 Bedfordshire 7 27 25 27 75 
			 British Transport Police 5 3 0 2 0 
			 Cambridgeshire 1 1 0 0 1 
			 Cheshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Cleveland 209 204 74 101 74 
			 Cumbria 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Derbyshire 28 26 20 6 28 
			 Devon and Cornwall 5 2 0 0 0 
			 Dorset 28 8 28 46 14 
			 Durham 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Dyfed-Powys 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Essex 9 5 5 0 0 
			 Gloucestershire 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Greater Manchester 62 3 34 67 105 
			 Gwent 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Hampshire 31 38 38 26 18 
			 Hertfordshire 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Humberside 3 3 21 2 0 
			 Kent 13 10 17 34 58 
			 Lancashire 31 19 3 3 0 
			 Leicestershire 4 2 1 10 10 
			 Lincolnshire 0 0 0 1 0 
			 London, City of 0 0 0 1 0 
			 Merseyside 1 8 0 2 0 
			 Metropolitan Police 939 916 806 317 244 
			 Norfolk 14 5 1 1 26 
			 Northamptonshire 18 53 29 88 144 
			 Northumbria 1 0 0 0 0 
			 North Wales 0 0 0 0 0 
			 North Yorkshire 0 0 1 1 0 
			 Nottinghamshire 45 118 142 148 119 
			 South Wales 5 6 2 3 10 
			 South Yorkshire 114 64 54 76 47 
			 Staffordshire 31 26 12 11 5 
			 Suffolk 21 49 38 19 108 
			 Surrey 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Sussex 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Thames Valley 25 18 7 17 10 
			 Warwickshire 1 0 0 0 0 
			 West Mercia 1 0 0 0 0 
			 West Midlands 129 97 174 99 46 
			 West Yorkshire 130 55 55 82 24 
			 Wiltshire 4 2 1 0 12 
			 England and Wales 1,944 1,821 1,640 1,290 1,258 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Incidents of prostitution-related activity—2007-08 
			  Police force area  Number of incidents 
			 Avon and Somerset 173 
			 Bedfordshire 150 
			 British Transport Police n/a 
			 Cambridgeshire 82 
			 Cheshire 12 
			 Cleveland 89 
			 Cumbria 6 
			 Derbyshire 116 
			 Devon and Cornwall 16 
			 Dorset 128 
			 Durham 1 
			 Dyfed-Powys 3 
			 Essex 102 
			 Gloucestershire 20 
			 Greater Manchester 247 
			 Gwent 65 
			 Hampshire 121 
			 Hertfordshire 26 
			 Humberside 91 
			 Kent 92 
			 Lancashire 129 
			 Leicestershire 200 
			 Lincolnshire 3 
			 London, City of 5 
			 Merseyside 124 
			 Metropolitan Police 1,446 
			 Norfolk 232 
			 Northamptonshire 18 
			 Northumbria 39 
			 North Wales 2 
			 North Yorkshire 7 
			 Nottinghamshire 70 
			 South Wales 328 
			 South Yorkshire 283 
			 Staffordshire 142 
			 Suffolk 181 
			 Surrey 19 
			 Sussex 18 
			 Thames Valley 85 
			 Warwickshire 12 
			 West Mercia 4 
			 West Midlands 538 
			 West Yorkshire 145 
			 Wiltshire 54 
			 England and Wales 5,624 
			 n/a = Not available 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Incidents of antisocial behaviour—2007-08 
			  Police force area  Number of incidents 
			 Avon and Somerset 103,561 
			 Bedfordshire 39,617 
			 British Transport Police n/a 
			 Cambridgeshire 54,749 
			 Cheshire 57,429 
			 Cleveland 64,105 
			 Cumbria 45,427 
			 Derbyshire 75,649 
			 Devon and Cornwall 106,403 
			 Dorset 48,844 
			 Durham 63,412 
			 Dyfed-Powys 35,133 
			 Essex 95,164 
			 Gloucestershire 36,133 
			 Greater Manchester 252,656 
			 Gwent 67,556 
			 Hampshire 142,061 
			 Hertfordshire 84,801 
			 Humberside 53,075 
			 Kent 88,347 
			 Lancashire 171,470 
			 Leicestershire 58,442 
			 Lincolnshire 40,099 
			 London, City of 1,902 
			 Merseyside 112,623 
			 Metropolitan Police 387,862 
			 Norfolk 62,033 
			 Northamptonshire 62,699 
			 Northumbria 171,347 
			 North Wales 50,670 
			 North Yorkshire 50,656 
			 Nottinghamshire 88,240 
			 South Wales 117,884 
			 South Yorkshire 127,635 
			 Staffordshire 61,888 
			 Suffolk 43,970 
			 Surrey 64,048 
			 Sussex 106,526 
			 Thames Valley 100,542 
			 Warwickshire 30,390 
			 West Mercia 88,770 
			 West Midlands 172,034 
			 West Yorkshire 148,521 
			 Wiltshire 33,629 
			 England and Wales 3,868,002 
			 n/a = Not available

Crimes of Violence: Betting Shops

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward policies designed to prevent violence against betting shop workers; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: The Government take the problem of violence against betting shop workers very seriously and work is being undertaken across Government Departments to tackle it. A working group lead by James Purnell, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and Pat McFadden, Minister for Employments Relations, has recently been established to consider action to be taken to deal with this issue. This will be attended by representatives from the booking industry, the third sector, the police, local authorities and other Government Departments.

Demonstrations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how much has been spent on policing demonstrations in London on each day since 27 December 2008;
	(2)  how much has been spent on policing demonstrations in Manchester on each day since 27 December 2008.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is not held centrally. This is a matter for the police authority and the chief constable or Metropolitan Police Commissioner as appropriate.

Fraud: Economic Situation

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the likely impact on levels of fraud and other financial crime of the downturn in the economy.

Alan Campbell: I have regular discussions with the financial sector and law enforcement and continue to monitor trends in fraud and financial crime. However, I have made no specific assessment of the impact of the downturn in the economy on these types of crime.
	The Government are determined to tackle fraud and have recently allocated £29 million in new funding to establish the National Fraud programme. As part of this programme the new National Fraud Strategic Authority is working closely with stakeholders across Government, law enforcement and the private sector to drive forwards a concerted UK strategy against fraud and to make the UK a much more difficult place for fraudsters to succeed. In addition to the new authority, the City of London police now has a national remit to tackle serious and complex fraud cases across England and Wales, and to assist other forces in their response to fraud, while a new National Fraud Reporting Centre (NFRC), expected to go live in 2009, will radically streamline the way that the public report fraud to the police. The NFRC will also enable the police to draw together intelligence from separate incidents of fraud and help from the basis of better prevention advice and alerts for businesses and the public.

Internet: Security

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many British Standards Institute kite marks for internet content control software have been issued, and to whom, pursuant to the initiative announced by the Home Office in December 2006; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: The Kitemark for filtering software developed by the Home Office and Ofcom and in partnership with BSI, was launched in April 2008. Currently none have been issued, but the promotion of the Kitemark will form part of the agenda for the industry standards working group within the UK Council for Child Internet Safety. The Government fully support the Kitemark and encourage companies to apply for it.

Office for Security and Counter-Terrorism Programme: Finance

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 25 November 2008,  Official Report, column 67WS, on the departmental expenditure limit (2008-09), what the reasons were for the reprofiling of £48 million expenditure for the Office for Security and Counter Terrorism programme from 2008-09 to 2009-10.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 14 January 2009
	The reprofiling of the Office of Security and Counter Terrorism £48 million from 2008-09 ensures that the funds available matches its spending forecast for 2009-10.

Police: Standards

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 8 December 2008,  Official Report, column 39WS, on strategic policing priorities, by what means  (a) a police force,  (b) its police authority,  (c) crime and disorder reduction partnerships, community safety partnerships and other local partners and  (d) local people are to be involved in setting local policing priorities for 2009-10.

Vernon Coaker: Every police authority is required each year to produce a three-year plan including their local priorities for policing their area. They are required to consider and include crime and disorder reduction partnerships/community safety partnerships strategies and the view of the public obtained under section 96 of the Police Act 1996. How each authority decides to gather and include this information is a decision for them.
	Underpinning this, local—neighbourhood—policing priorities are agreed between the neighbourhood policing teams and their local communities. These priorities will be enshrined in the local part of the Policing Pledge and subject to discussion at the monthly public meetings that all teams now hold.

Proceeds of Crime

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 14 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1079W, on the proceeds of crime, how much was received by each police force under the asset recovery incentive scheme in the last year for which figures are available.

Alan Campbell: The information requested is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Allocations under the asset recovery incentive scheme for the period 1 April 2004 to 31 March 2008 
			  £ 
			  Police Force  
			 Avon and Somerset Constabulary 342,349.01 
			 Bedfordshire Police 108,271.48 
			 British Transport Police 75,082.96 
			 Cambridgeshire Constabulary 145,965.37 
			 Cheshire Constabulary 339,287.90 
			 City of London Police 323,521.34 
			 Cleveland Police 344,290.21 
			 Cumbria Constabulary 182,985.34 
			 Derbyshire Constabulary 322,854.80 
			 Devon and Cornwall Constabulary 275,246.94 
			 Dorset Police 326,832.07 
			 Durham Constabulary 88,213.47 
			 Dyfed-Powys Police 103,140.23 
			 Essex Police 76,252.71 
			 Gloucestershire Constabulary 189,915.00 
			 Greater Manchester Police 845,905.36 
			 Gwent Police 128,921.98 
			 Hampshire Constabulary 274,470.19 
			 Hertfordshire Constabulary 228,048.64 
			 Humberside Police 263,446.14 
			 Kent Police 606,669.13 
			 Lancashire Constabulary 585,778.25 
			 Leicestershire Constabulary 519,807.03 
			 Lincolnshire Police 75,134.49 
			 Merseyside Police 1,418,562.24 
			 Metropolitan Police Service 5,078,182.85 
			 Norfolk Constabulary 183,899.71 
			 North Wales Police 197,549.14 
			 North Yorkshire Police 86,178.77 
			 Northamptonshire Police 210,129.59 
			 Northumbria Police 310,179.08 
			 Nottinghamshire Police 217,049.05 
			 Police Service of Northern Ireland 412,502.81 
			 South Wales Police 301,007.35 
			 South Yorkshire Police 453,591.26 
			 Staffordshire Police 459,105.69 
			 Suffolk Constabulary 162,503.09 
			 Surrey Police 289,547.92 
			 Sussex Police 130,726.82 
			 Thames Valley Police 613,974.50 
			 Warwickshire Police 183,926.67 
			 West Mercia Constabulary 309,642.50 
			 West Midlands Police 960,407.41 
			 West Yorkshire Police 422,674.90 
			 Wiltshire Constabulary 167,916.63 
			 Total 19,341,648.02

Surveillance: Members

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the Answer to the hon. Member for Wellingborough of 30 April 2008,  Official Report, columns 506-07W, on surveillance: Members, if she will place in the Library a copy of the updated Code of Practice.

Vernon Coaker: Yes. The Government will shortly be consulting on the proposed amendments to the Code of Practice and will place a copy of the consultation document, when this is published, in the Library. The revised code will then be subject to the affirmative resolution procedure before coming into force.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform when the Secretary of State plans to reply to the letter of 14 November 2008 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on Brother E. Egan.

Patrick McFadden: I replied to my right hon. Friend on 17 January 2009.

North East Regional Development Agency

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend East of 27 October 2008,  Official Report, column 722W, on the Keep Our Future Afloat campaign, to which bodies the North East Regional Development Agency provided funding to be used by the campaign.

Patrick McFadden: One North East has not provided funding to any bodies on behalf of the campaign which is largely based in the north-west of England.

UKTI Defence and Security Organisation: Manpower

Richard Benyon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many  (a) civilian and  (b) military staff there were at the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation on 3 January 2009.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 15 January 2009
	In April 2008 there were 44 military staff and 109 civilian staff who transferred to the UK Defence and Security Organisation in the UK.
	
		
			  N umber of staff at UKTI Defence and Security Organisation on 3 January 2009 
			   Number of staff 
			  (a) civilian 111 
			  (b) military 47 
			  Note: In addition some 29 staff transferred from the Ministry of Defence to UKTI DSO posts based in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office overseas.

UKTI Defence and Security Organisation: Manpower

Richard Benyon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many  (a) civilian and  (b) military staff have left the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation since 2 April 2008.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 15 January 2009
	 In April 2008 there were 44 military staff and 109 civilian staff who transferred to the UK Defence and Security Organisation in the UK.
	
		
			  Number of staff who have left the UKTI Defence and Security Organisation since 2 April 2008 
			   Number of staff 
			  (a) Civilian 10 
			  (b) Military (1)21 
			 (1) Under normal posting procedures.  Note: In addition some 29 staff transferred from the Ministry of Defence to UKTI DSO posts based in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office overseas.

UKTI Defence and Security Organisation: Manpower

Richard Benyon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many  (a) civilian and  (b) military staff have joined the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation since 2 April 2008.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 15 January 2009
	In April 2008 there were 44 military staff and 109 civilian staff who transferred to the UKTI Defence and Security Organisation in the UK.
	The number of staff who have joined the UKTI Defence and Security Organisation since 2 April 2008 are:
	
		
			   Number 
			  (a) civilian 12 
			  (b) military (1)24 
			 (1) Under normal posting procedures.  Note: These numbers exclude some 29 staff who transferred from the Ministry of Defence to UKTI DSO posts based in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) overseas. Three staff have since joined FCO on loan from the Ministry of Defence.

UKTI Defence and Security Organisation: Recruitment

Richard Benyon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation civilian posts advertised since 2 April 2008 have attracted no suitable applicants; and how many such appointments were refused by a successful applicant.

Gareth Thomas: Two civilian posts in the UKTI Defence and Security Organisation have attracted no suitable applicants. Both posts were junior level posts.
	No civilian post in the UKTI Defence and Security Organisation has been refused by a successful applicant.

Community Relations

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what response she plans to make to the recommendation that more Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder Fund projects should be targeted at disrupting those who promote violent extremism and those who support the institutions where they are active made on page 62 of the report, Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder Fund: Mapping of Project Activities 2007-08 published on 10 December 2008;
	(2)  what steps she plans to take in response to the recommendation for increased partnership working with educational establishments, arts and sports providers to deliver the PREVENT strategy made on page 7 of the report Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder Fund: Mapping of Project Activities 2007-08 published on 10 December 2008; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  whether her Department plans to undertake research into effective partnership working on the PREVENT strategy as recommended on page 10 of the report Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder Fund: Mapping of Project Activities 2007-08 published on 10 December 2008;
	(4)  whether she plans to provide further guidance to local authorities on gathering and presenting evaluation evidence on projects funded as part of the PREVENT strategy as recommended on page 10 of the report Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder Fund: Mapping of Project Activities 2007-08 published on 10 December 2008;
	(5)  what steps she plans to take in response to the recommendation that local authorities should be encouraged to fund more Preventing Violent Extremism projects using mosque-based delivery and electronic and printed materials made on page 10 of the report Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder Fund: Mapping of Project Activities 2007-08 published on 10 December 2008; and if she will make a statement;
	(6)  what steps she plans to take in response to the recommendation that good practice with respect to Preventing Violent Extremism projects should be shared among local authorities and projects made on page 10 of the report Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder Fund: Mapping of Project Activities 2007-08 published on 10 December 2008;
	(7)  what steps she plans to take in response to the recommendations that all local authorities and projects should provide a lead name contact responsible for monitoring and evaluation with respect to Preventing Violent Extremism projects made on page 10 of the report Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder Fund: Mapping Project Activities 2007-08, published on 10 December 2008.

Sadiq Khan: The Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder Fund: Mapping of project activities 2007-08 was one of a number of reviews over the summer which sought to draw out learning and emerging practice on the delivery of activity to prevent violent extremism. Though each review had a different focus, together they provide a useful package of learning material upon which local partners can draw and which will inform the Government's approach to Prevent.
	There are a number of common themes which run through all these reviews. Some of these require action from national Government, some from local partners and many from both. We have ensured wide distribution of the Pathfinder Fund Mapping report to enable local partners to benefit directly from information on the range of Pathfinder projects and how they are contributing to the Prevent strategy. We published "Delivering Prevent—Responding to Learning" on 10 December, which sets out the key strands of learning from the reviews and work already under way to address these key themes. We will continue to develop our response to the reviews throughout the year. A copy of "Delivering Prevent—Responding to Learning" has been placed in the House Library and can also be downloaded at:
	www.communities.gov.uk/documents/communities/pdf/1098129.pdf

Community Relations

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when the new Centre of Excellence referred to in her press release of 10 December 2008 entitled Government steps up the fight against extremism, will be set up; how many people it will employ; what support it will provide to whom; what the annual running costs are expected to be; and if she will make a statement.

Sadiq Khan: At the 10 December Prevent 08 Conference the Secretary of State for Communities and local government stated that over the coming months a 'national centre of excellence' would be developed to be up and running in 2009, that any local area can access for practical advice on Prevent.
	We are currently working with local and national partners to agree how the centre will operate.

Community Relations: Islam

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which Muslims participate in the initiative that brings together UK and US Muslims referred to in her press release of 10 December 2008 entitled Government steps up the fight against extremism; how they were selected; how often they meet; what they discuss; and if she will make a statement.

Sadiq Khan: The Government, working with the US, supported an initiative which aims to create a network among British and American Pakistani community figures to share experience and information about integration, and to explore ways in which such communities can promote integration and in doing so, increase their resilience to violent extremism.
	A group of US Muslims from a range of vocational backgrounds visited the UK in October 2008. They met with counterparts in the UK. The UK participants were volunteers from a range of backgrounds, but with an interest in community integration issues. During the visit the participants also met with young people to discuss these issues. We envisage there being future engagement between the members of the Pakistani communities from the two countries.

Departmental Public Relations

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend, East, of 6 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 304-05W, on departmental public relations, which companies were employed during the period; how much her Department spent on each such contract; and on what project each company worked.

Sadiq Khan: Central Office of Information billings (which may include COI admin fees) to this Department and its predecessor in relation to public relations agencies on the COI Framework for the period specified is as follows:
	
		
			   Department  Activity  Company  Total (£) 
			 2005-06 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister HMO Licensing Amazon PR 21,928.65 
			   Local e-gov take-up campaign Blue Rubicon 64,297.00 
			 Total86,225.65 
			  
			 2006-07 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister HMO Licensing Amazon PR 116,392.98 
			   Local e-gov take-up campaign Blue Rubicon 117,068.00 
			  Department for Communities and Local Government Local e-gov take-up campaign Blue Rubicon 93,109.83 
			   Tenancy Deposit Protection Blue Rubicon 171,719.00 
			 Total498,289.81 
			  
			 2007-08 Department for Communities and Local Government Energy Performance in Buildings Directive COI admin fee 3,400.00 
			   Tenancy Deposit Protection Blue Rubicon 36,167.90 
			 Total39,567.90 
			 Grand total624,083.36

Housing: Inspections

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people were training to become a registered home inspector at the latest date for which figures are available.

Iain Wright: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Montgomeryshire (Lembit pik) on 6 June 2008,  Official Report, column 1177W. This is the latest data for which figures are available and represents the total number of people registered for home inspector training since its inception in 2004.

Owner Occupation

Michael Jabez Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her latest estimate is of  (a) the number of (i) homeowners, (ii) homeowners with mortgages and (iii) repossessions that have taken place in the last 12 months and  (b) the number of repossessions which will take place in the next 12 months (A) in total and (B) as a percentage of the number of mortgaged properties.

Iain Wright: In 2007, based on estimates from the Labour Force Survey there were 14,733,000 owner-occupiers in England of whom 8,228,000 had a mortgage.
	According to data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders, at the end of 2007 there were 11,822,000 homeowners with mortgages in the UK. During that year 26,200 repossessions had taken place(1).
	The Council of Mortgage Lenders have forecast that there will be around 45,000 (0.38 per cent. of all mortgages) repossessions occurring during 2008 and 75,000 (0.66 per cent. of all mortgages) during 2009(1).
	(1) The CML data on mortgages and repossessions includes buy to let mortgages (as well as owner-occupier mortgages). Their forecasts are available on their website at:
	http://www.cml.org.uk/cml/publications/marketcommentary/109

Departmental Pay

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with reference to the answer to the right hon. Member for Wokingham of 22 July 2008,  Official Report, column 992W, on departmental pay, what the  (a) total amount paid in bonuses was,  (b) number of staff who were eligible for a bonuses and received (i) no bonus, (ii) a medium bonus and (iii) a maximum bonus was and  (c) value of each of the five highest bonuses was; and what process is used to determine the level of bonus.

Ivan Lewis: The table that appears in answer to the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) on 22 July 2008,  Official Report , column 992W, on departmental pay, was based on incomplete data and should have read:
	
		
			   SCS staff not receiving a maximum bonus 
			   Number  Percentage 
			 2006-07 67 out of 87 77 
			 2007-08 72 out of 96 75 
		
	
	Department for International Development (DFID) senior civil service (SCS) members are eligible for a non-consolidated bonus award. Bonuses are intended to reward delivery of personal business objectives during the reporting year or other personal contributions to wider organisational objectives. In considering SCS members for bonus, an SCS pay committee takes into account:
	performance against agreed priority business objectives or targets;
	total delivery record over the year;
	relative stretch (i.e. the challenge of the job compared to that of others); and
	response to unforeseen events that affected the performance agreement.
	DFID paid a total of 504,000 in non-consolidated bonuses to 62 senior civil servants for the 2006-07 reporting year and 641,510 in non-consolidated performance bonuses to 71 senior civil servants for the 2007-08 reporting year.
	The following table gives a breakdown of the number of bonuses, awarded to DFID's SCS, in each category in each year:
	
		
			   Number eligible for bonus  Number of nil bonuses  Number of low bonuses  Number of medium bonuses  Number of high (maximum) bonuses 
			 2006-07 87 25 n/a 42 20 
			 2007-08 96 25 10 37 24 
		
	
	The highest bonuses for 2006-07 were all fixed at 12,500. The five highest bonuses for 2007-08 were: 22,700; 20,685; 20,048; 18,422; and 14,612.
	The process used to determine the level of bonuses in these years differed. In 2006-07 bonuses were paid at a flat rate. In 2007-08 bonuses were paid as a percentage of base salary.

Departmental Pay

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with reference to the answer to the right hon. Member for Wokingham of 22 July 2008,  Official Report, column 992W, on departmental pay, how many of the staff eligible for bonuses in 2007-08 were based  (a) in the UK and  (b) overseas.

Ivan Lewis: The table that appears in answer to the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) on 22 July 2008,  Official Report , column 992W, on departmental pay, should have read:
	
		
			   SCS staff not receiving a maximum bonus 
			   N umber  Percentage 
			 2006-07 67 out of 87 77 
			 2007-08 72 out of 96 75 
		
	
	Of the 96 DFID senior civil servants (SCS) eligible, to be considered, for a performance bonus in 2007-08, 68 were based in the UK and 28 were based overseas.

Social Enterprises: Finance

Margaret Moran: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much the  (a) Futurebuilders fund,  (b) Adventure Capital fund,  (c) Community Builders fund and  (d) Unltd have disbursed to social enterprises and social entrepreneurs since each was established.

Kevin Brennan: The amount of funding from these organisations specifically allocated to social enterprises is not available. Social enterprises are not defined by a particular legal form and as a result are not required to register with any one body or specifically identify themselves as such. However,
	 (a) Futurebuilders has disbursed 50 million to over 260 third sector organisations looking to build their capacity to compete for and win public service contracts. Of these organisations, we anticipate that many of these investees will be social enterprises.
	 (b) The Adventure Capital Fund has disbursed a total of 10,279,749 to date. Many of these will also be social enterprises.
	 (c) The 70 million Communitybuilders fund is currently procuring a national partner and it is intended that the partner will begin disbursing monies in the summer of 2009. It is anticipated that many of the recipient organisations will be social enterprises.
	 (d) UnLtd is an independent organisation that provides cash funding, practical support and networking opportunities to around 1,000 social entrepreneurs per year across the UK. The Office of the Third Sector does not fund UnLtd grants. Details of UnLtd grant recipients to date are available in their annual report and accounts

Democratic Republic of Congo: Armed Conflict

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the government of Rwanda following the report on 12 December 2008 by the UN panel of experts (S/2008/773), on that report's allegation that the Rwandan government is supporting the rebel group National Congress for the Defence of the People in the Democratic Republic of Congo; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: We are committed to help bring about a peaceful solution to the violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and have urged the Rwandan authorities to take a constructive approach to dealing with illegal militias and to curtail support for them from within Rwanda. We continue to press both the Rwandan and DRC governments at the highest levels to respond constructively to the UN Group of Experts' recommendations.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Mining

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which UK-based companies have been involved in the exportation of  (a) cassiterite,  (b) coltan and  (c) wolframite from the Democratic Republic of Congo, as referred to in the report of 12 December 2008 by the UN panel of experts (S/2008/773).

Gillian Merron: We are aware of a number of UK-based companies involved in mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo, although precise details of their activities are not held. Only oneAfrimex, which is involved in the exportation of cassiteriteis referred to by name in the UN panel of experts report.

Holidays Abroad: Health Services

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts on the provision of healthcare for British citizens who are taken ill whilst on holiday in their countries.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 19 January 2009
	 The Foreign Secretary has had no recent discussions of these issues with his European counterparts.

Holidays Abroad: Health Services

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received from UK organisations on the provision of healthcare for British citizens who are taken ill whilst on holiday outside the UK.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 19 January 2009
	 We have received no representations from UK organisations on the provision of health care for British citizens taken ill while on holiday overseas.

Kosovo: Serbia

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to protect the interests of Serbs within Kosovo.

Caroline Flint: Kosovo constitution, which entered into force on 15 June 2008, includes provisions to ensure equal rights for all citizens in Kosovo, in line with the Comprehensive Settlement Proposal of UN Special Envoy Martti Ahtisaari. The Kosovo government has also adopted legislation to implement protection of minority rights, including of the Kosovo Serb community. I have engaged closely with the government of Kosovo to encourage and support continued commitment in this area.

St Helena

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings he has had with officials from St. Helena in the last two years.

Gillian Merron: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not had any meetings with officials from St. Helena in the last two years.
	As the Minister responsible for Overseas Territories, I met Councillor William Drabble during the Overseas Territories Consultative Council in October this year, and my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Meg Munn), met Councillor Brian Isaacs at the same event in December 2007. Foreign and Commonwealth Office and other Government officials are in regular contact with St. Helena officials.

Building Schools for the Future Programme

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many jobs have been created by the Building Schools for the Future programme in each year since its establishment; and in which sectors those jobs were created.

Jim Knight: No data is available on the number of jobs created by the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme in each year since its establishment. So far, construction jobs are supported by capital allocations and commitments of 7,617 million to Wave 1 to Wave 6 of the BSF programme. This figure includes both capital grant and the capital value of PFI contracts. A tentative estimate of the number of jobs that have been and will be created across the period of construction of Wave 1 to Wave 6 is 95,000.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many applications for the education maintenance allowance for 2008-09 are being processed.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) who operate the education maintenance allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). The helpline, assessment and payment function for EMA has transferred to Capita from 28 November 2008. Mark Haysom the LSC's chief executive, will write to the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Libraries.

Languages: Teachers

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many secondary school teachers of  (a) Mandarin,  (b) Urdu,  (c) German,  (d) Italian and  (e) Japanese (i) there are in maintained secondary schools and (ii) qualified in the last year for which data are available.

Jim Knight: Information on secondary school teachers and the subjects they are teaching is collected in the Secondary School Curriculum and Staffing Survey (SSCSS). The most recent survey was carried out in February 2007, and achieved a sample of 14,137 teachers in 327 schools. Results were grossed up to provide national estimates of the number of secondary school teachers in England by subject area.
	The SSCSS survey estimated the following numbers of teachers delivering at least one period a week of the requested subjects(1):
	
		
			  Number of secondary school teachers of languages 
			  Subject  Count of teachers 
			 German 6,600 
			 Languages/Other Languages 1,000 
			 Italian 280 
			 Japanese 160 
			 Mandarin/Chinese 50 
			 Urdu 50 
			 (1 )The table may include some double counting, as teachers are counted once under subject they are teaching. For example, a teacher who teaches Italian and German will be counted once under each subject. The table gives national estimates.  Note:  Data are rounded to nearest 10  Source: Secondary School Curriculum and Staffing Survey, 2007 
		
	
	The table includes a category of teachers who teach 'Languages/Other Languages'we do not know which language(s) these teachers are delivering and it is possible that it may include any of the subjects listed in the table. In addition, care should be taken when interpreting national estimates based upon a sample survey.
	The number of teachers gaining QTS in Modern Foreign Languages in 2005-06, the most recent year for which data is available, was 1,260 (excluding those on employment based routes). We do not know which specific languages these teachers qualified in.

National Curriculum Tests

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families in how many schools less than 50 per cent. of pupils achieved level 5 or above in  (a) English,  (b) mathematics and  (c) science in 2008.

Jim Knight: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, announced on 14 October 2008,  Official Report, column 673, that secondary schools will no longer be required to enter pupils for national tests at the end of key stage 3.
	My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, stated, on 16 December,  Official Report, column 1002, that he had decided not to proceed with collating and publishing the key stage 3 achievement and attainment tables for 2008 as to do so would place a disproportionate burden on secondary schools in the light of the decision to abandon national tests at the end of key stage 3.
	However, key stage 3 school-level test data will be available from the Department on request once we have completed processing the data. Currently, we expect this to be in March 2009.

Teachers: Pensions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to the Answer of 1 September 2008,  Official Report, column 1638W, on teachers' pensions: resource accounting and budgeting, for what reason the teachers' pension scheme resource accounts were not published between the 2008 summer recess and the end of the 2007-08 session; and when he plans to publish them.

Jim Knight: My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Byrne) referred to some overpayments made to pensioners of public sector pension schemes, including the Teachers' Pension Scheme in a written ministerial statement on 16 December 2008,  Official Report, column 111WS.
	The Teachers' Pension Scheme resource accounts contain reference to these overpayments. The decision was taken not to publish the accounts until such time as we had sufficient information to be able to inform the pensioners. Critical to this decision was the need to avoid unnecessary public concern among the vast majority of teacher pensioners who were entirely unaffected, but who would not have known that had a general announcement been made. Letters were sent to affected pensioners on 15 December and the statement, formally notifying Parliament of the overpayments, was made on 16 December .
	The accounts will now be laid before 31 January.

Young People: Crime

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to discourage young people in deprived areas from becoming associated with criminal activity.

Beverley Hughes: The Youth Crime Action Plan, published in July 2008, set out the Government's plans for tackling offending by young people. It detailed our plans for a 'triple track' approach of tough enforcement, non-negotiable help and support, and early intervention and prevention. It also states our ambition to reduce the rate of young people entering the criminal justice system by one fifth by 2020. This is supported by close to 100million over the next three years, in addition to the existing investment in children's and youth services, to support local authorities in making inroads into youth crime locally. This funding is weighted towards areas facing higher levels of crime, antisocial behaviour, fear and deprivation.
	The Youth Crime Action Plan builds on the already significant investment committed to programmes aimed at preventing young people's involvement in criminal activity in deprived areas. Key examples of this are the almost 700 million we are spending in 2008-11 to help young people take part in structured positive activities and to improve facilities in deprived areas through the Positive Activities for Young People and Myplace programmes.
	In addition, the Youth Justice Board are investing 33 million per year through Youth Offending Teams to deliver targeted prevention programmes such as youth inclusion programmes (YIPs), youth inclusion and support panels (YISPs) and parenting programmes. These are focussed on areas of highest need and many programmes operate in some of the most deprived areas of England and Wales.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many special advisers were employed in his Department at each pay band on 30 November 2008; and what his Department's total expenditure on special advisers was in 2007-08.

Jack Straw: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Watson) on 15 January 2009,  Official Report, column 870W.
	The Government are committed to publishing an annual list detailing the number and costs of special advisers. Information for 2007-08 was published by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 22 July 2008,  Official Report, columns 99-102WS.

Departmental Pay

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much has been spent by his Department on staff reward and recognition schemes in each of the last three years.

Michael Wills: Reward and recognition schemes within the Ministry of Justice are partly implemented through the payment of 'special' or 'small' bonuses to staff. These bonuses are paid in the form of an 'in year' bonus, paid to recognise exceptional achievements during the performance year. Reward and recognition is also implemented through the organisation of team awards and events, loyalty awards and locally purchased gifts or vouchers.
	The figures are presented separately for staff previously on former DCA terms and conditions and by staff in the public sector Prison Service (NOMS). The figures for staff previously on former DCA terms and conditions prior to 2007-08, exclude payments to former magistrates courts staff. They also exclude staff in the Tribunals Service who joined former DCA on 1 April 2006 from other Government Departments about whom information is not available prior to 2007. The figures do not include any 'year-end' bonuses as these are paid separately to the reward and recognition budget.
	The senior civil service (SCS) are also not included in these figures as they receive bonuses at 'year-end' and these are not paid through the reward and recognition budget.
	
		
			  Reward and recognition payments (excluding 'year end' bonuses) awarded during the past three years to staff previously on former DCA terms and conditions (not SCS) 
			  Awarded in financial year  Total amount awarded () 
			 2005-06 487,753 
			 2006-07 894,169 
			 2007-08 (1)2,348,520 
			 (1) Reflects increased staff complement through the inclusion of staff on former MCS terms and conditions and those who joined former DCA from the Tribunals Service. 
		
	
	
		
			  Reward and recognition payments (excluding 'year end' bonuses) awarded during the past three years to staff previously in the public sector Prison Service (NOMS) 
			  Awarded in financial year  Total amount awarded () 
			 2005-06 817,302 
			 2006-07 1,681,914 
			 2007-08 2,665,212 
		
	
	The payment of these 'in-year' bonuses, which are non-consolidated and non-pensionable, are paid recognise exceptional commitment and performance by individuals as part of the Department's reward strategy. The other elements of the reward and recognition scheme (such as trips, team events and loyalty awards) also serve this function. Such payments are a cost-effective means of encouraging and rewarding exceptional performance.

National Offender Management Service: Manpower

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many  (a) former Probation Service and  (b) former Prison Service staff by grade are working in the Financial Management Unit under the auspices of the Chief Operating Officer at the National Offender Management Service;
	(2)  how many former  (a) Probation Service and  (b) Prison Service staff of each grade are working in the (i) Office of Information and Technology, (ii) Office of Financial Control and Accountancy, (iii) Office of Shared Services, (iv) Commercial and Competitions Unit, (v) Audit and Corporate Assurance Office, (vi) Strategy and Effectiveness Group, (vii) Programme and Project Services Group and (viii) Procurement Group under the auspices of the Director of Finance and Performance at the National Offender Management Service;
	(3)  how many former  (a) Probation Service and  (b) Prison Service staff of each grade are working in the (i) Estates Planning and Development Group under the auspices of the Director of Capacity Programme and (ii) Safer Custody and Offender Policy Group under the auspices of the Director of Commissioning and Operational Policy at the National Offender Management Service;
	(4)  how many staff of each grade working in National Offender Management Service headquarters previously worked for the  (a) Probation Service and  (b) Prison Service;
	(5)  how many former  (a) Probation Service staff and  (b) Prison Service staff of each grade are working in the office of the (i) Chief Operating Officer, (ii) Finance and Performance, (iii) Human Resources, (iv) the Capacity Programme, (v) Commissioning and Operating Policy, (vi) the office of the Director of Offender Health, (vii) the office of National Commissioning under the auspices of the Chief Operating Officer and (viii) the office of Performance Delivery under the auspices of the Chief Operating Officer at the National Offender Management Service.

Shahid Malik: Information on the number of former probation and prison staff that are now employed by each directorate, headquarters group and the National Offender Management Service Headquarters broken down by grade, is contained in the following tables.
	The information includes a number of staff (792) who are employed in the units specified who were neither former Prison Service or Probation Service staff. These staff were previously employed in the former NOMS HQ.
	The new NOMS HQ was formed from all staff from the National Probation Directorate and Prison Service Headquarters, as well as staff from the former NOMS HQ. Inevitably the majority were former Prison Service staff. This is because the Probation Service headquarters was significantly smaller as many staff are employed in probation boards and trusts. What matters is that all employees in NOMS HQ recognise that they are now working for a new agency and whatever their past employment history they are focused on public protection and reducing re-offending through integrated offender management.
	
		
			  National Offend er management Service Headquarters  Staffing: As at 31 December 2008 
			Prison Service 
			  Directorate  Organisation  Senior Civil Service  Senior Manager  Manager  EO and Equiv. 
			 Capacity Programme Estates Planning and Development   1  
			  Other Groups/Units 1 1   
			 Capacity Programme total  1 1 1  
			 Commissioning and Operational Policy Offender Assessment and Management Group  2   
			  Other Groups/Units 
			 Commissioning and Operational Policy total   2   
			 Director General Briefing and Casework Unit  1 16 15 
			  Internal Communications   4 6 
			  Race Equality Action Group 1 5 17 1 
			  Other Groups/Units 1 5 7 5 
			 Director General Total  2 11 44 27 
			 Finance and Performance Audit and Corporate Assurance 1 6 18 7 
			  Commercial and Competitions Unit1 
			  Financial Control and Accountancy 1 5 21 9 
			  Information and Communication Technology 1 16 28 13 
			  Phoenix Shared Service Centre 1 30 252 287 
			  Procurement 1 7 17 8 
			  Programmes and Project Management Group1 
			  Strategy and Effectiveness Group 1 7 20 3 
			  Other Groups/Units 2 20 80 61 
			 Finance and Performance Total  8 91 436 390 
			 High Security Directorate Total  2 23 46 18 
			 HR Total  7 77 105 28 
			 Chief Operating Officer Area Offices, ROMs, DOMs and Area Teams 11 91 214 42 
			  Office of National Commissioning   2  
			  Performance Delivery  1 1  
			  Public Protection Unit   1 2 
			  Other Groups/Units 2 26 55 14 
			 Chief Operating Officer Total  13 118 273 58 
			 Commissioning and Operational Policy Commissioning, Women and Young Peoples Group 2 21 38 12 
			  Interventions Group and Substance Misuse  20 59 8 
			  Offender Employment Skills  Services Group 1 11 53 8 
			  Operational Policy Unit  2 3 2 
			  Safer Custody and Offender Policy Group 1 5 7 4 
			  Other Groups/Units 2 9 13 3 
			 Commissioning and Operational Policy Total  6 68 173 37 
			 Grand total  39 391 1,078 558 
		
	
	
		
			Prison Service 
			AO/AA and Equiv.  OSG and Officer Grades  Other and Industrial  Total 
			 Capacity Programme Estates Planning and Development1 
			  Other Groups/Units2 
			 Capacity Programme total 3 
			 Commissioning and Operational Policy Offender Assessment and Management Group2 
			  Other Groups/Units 
			 Commissioning and Operational Policy total 2 
			 Director General Briefing and Casework Unit 5   37 
			  Internal Communications 1   11 
			  Race Equality Action Group 2 1  27 
			  Other Groups/Units 3   21 
			 Director General Total  11 1  96 
			 Finance and Performance Audit and Corporate Assurance 10 10  52 
			  Commercial and Competitions Unit1 
			  Financial Control and Accountancy 1   37 
			  Information and Communication Technology58 
			  Phoenix Shared Service Centre 340 112 12 1,034 
			  Procurement   4 37 
			  Programmes and Project Management Group 1   2 
			  Strategy and Effectiveness Group 2 6  39 
			  Other Groups/Units 59 1 42 265 
			 Finance and Performance Total  413 129 58 1,525 
			 High Security Directorate Total  25 32  146 
			 HR Total  20 14  251 
			 Chief Operating Officer Area Offices, ROMs, DOMs and Area Teams 137 79 377 951 
			  Office of National Commissioning2 
			  Performance Delivery2 
			  Public Protection Unit  1  4 
			  Other Groups/Units 9 16 1 123 
			 Chief Operating Officer Total  146 96 378 1,082 
			 Commissioning and Operational Policy Commissioning, Women and Young Peoples Group 3 10  86 
			  Interventions Group and Substance Misuse 14 2  103 
			  Offender Employment Skills  Services Group 11  1 85 
			  Operational Policy Unit7 
			  Safer Custody and Offender Policy Group 5   22 
			  Other Groups/Units 8 1 1 37 
			 Commissioning and Operational Policy Total  41 13 2 340 
			 Grand total  656 285 438 3,445 
		
	
	
		
			Probation 
			Senior Civil Service  Senior Manager  Manager  EO and Equiv. 
			 Capacity Programme Estates Planning and Development 
			  Other Groups/Units 
			 Capacity Programme total  
			 Commissioning and Operational Policy Offender Assessment and Management Group 
			  Other Groups/Units 
			 Commissioning and Operational Policy total  
			 Director General Briefing and Casework Unit 
			  Internal Communications 
			  Race Equality Action Group 
			  Other Groups/Units 
			 Director General Total  
			 Finance and Performance Audit and Corporate Assurance 
			  Commercial and Competitions Unit 
			  Financial Control and Accountancy 
			  Information and Communication Technology 
			  Phoenix Shared Service Centre 
			  Procurement 
			  Programmes and Project Management Group 
			  Strategy and Effectiveness Group 
			  Other Groups/Units 
			 Finance and Performance Total  
			 High Security Directorate Total  
			 HR Total  1 6 7 3 
			 Chief Operating Officer Area Offices, ROMs, DOMs and Area Teams 6 25 18 18 
			  Office of National Commissioning 
			  Performance Delivery 
			  Public Protection Unit 
			  Other Groups/Units 1 6 2 3 
			 Chief Operating Officer Total  7 31 20 21 
			 Commissioning and Operational Policy Commissioning, Women and Young Peoples Group 
			  Interventions Group and Substance Misuse 
			  Offender Employment Skills  Services Group 
			  Operational Policy Unit 
			  Safer Custody and Offender Policy Group 
			  Other Groups/Units 
			 Commissioning and Operational Policy Total  
			 Grand total  8 37 27 24 
		
	
	
		
			Probation   
			AO/AA and Equiv.  OSG and Officer Grades  Total  Former NOMS HQ  OMMS HQ Total 
			 Capacity Programme Estates Planning and Development30 31 
			  Other Groups/Units87 89 
			 Capacity Programme total 117 120 
			 Commissioning and Operational Policy Offender Assessment and Management Group21 23 
			  Other Groups/Units3 3 
			 Commissioning and Operational Policy total 24 26 
			 Director General Briefing and Casework Unit1 38 
			  Internal Communications 11 
			  Race Equality Action Group2 29 
			  Other Groups/Units7 28 
			 Director General Total 10 106 
			 Finance and Performance Audit and Corporate Assurance24 76 
			  Commercial and Competitions Unit46 47 
			  Financial Control and Accountancy12 49 
			  Information and Communication Technology44 102 
			  Phoenix Shared Service Centre1 1035 
			  Procurement5 42 
			  Programmes and Project Management Group 2 
			  Strategy and Effectiveness Group1 40 
			  Other Groups/Units57 322 
			 Finance and Performance Total 190 1715 
			 High Security Directorate Total 2 148 
			 HR Total  1  18 14 283 
			 Chief Operating Officer Area Offices, ROMs, DOMs and Area Teams 11 5 83 1 1035 
			  Office of National Commissioning70 72 
			  Performance Delivery 2 
			  Public Protection Unit177 181 
			  Other Groups/Units   12 132 267 
			 Chief Operating Officer Total  11 5 95 380 1557 
			 Commissioning and Operational Policy Commissioning, Women and Young Peoples Group7 93 
			  Interventions Group and Substance Misuse31 134 
			  Offender Employment Skills  Services Group6 91 
			  Operational Policy Unit3 10 
			  Safer Custody and Offender Policy Group3 25 
			  Other Groups/Units5 42 
			 Commissioning and Operational Policy Total 55 395 
			 Grand total  12 5 113 792 4350 
			  Note: Staff have been allocated as either Prison Service, Probation Service or former NOMS HQ based on their unit immediately prior to the creation of the new NOMS HQ. No account is taken of experience before that, either in the Prison Service or Probation Service.